Sweet Potato Maple Bacon Fritters

1. Get a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Boil the sweet potato chunks until they are completely tender, about 20 minutes.
2. In the meantime, cook the bacon slices in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove them from the skillet. Crumble them up and get them into a mixing bowl along with the eggs, shallot, maple syrup, brown sugar, cream cheese, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and paprika.
3. When the potatoes are done, drain them and let them cool. Then put them all through either a potato ricer or food mill right into the mixing bowl with the other ingredients. Give the mixture a big stir until it is uniform and smooth.
4. Heat about 4 inches of vegetable oil in a pot over medium high heat. Use a deep fry thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil. Keep it in the oil the entire time you are frying.
5. When the oil reaches 320 F, use a heaping tablespoon to scoop the batter right into the oil in batches of 6. Let them fry until golden and crispy on the outside, about 3-4 minutes. Then transfer them with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels so they can drain. Repeat until the batter is gone.
6. When the fritters are all done, serve them immediately. They are fantastic dipped in ketchup!